factors affecting accuracy of EWT; misleading info

Question 1

AO1 - leading questions

Answer 1

Occur when questions are framed in such a way that they suggest a certain answer.
Loftus and Palmer investigated this by showing participants a clip of a car accident. The participants were split into 5 groups, and each group was then asked a critical question - how fast were the cars going when they ‘X’ each other. In each group, the X was a different critical verb, either contacted, bumped, hit, collided or smashed.
They found that the more aggressive verbs, such as smashed, made participants believe that the cars were going faster (41mph), whereas contacted produced results of 32mph.

Question 2

AO1 - post event discussion

Answer 2

The original memory of an event might be distorted through discussion of the event with other people.
Gabbert et al supported this by studying participants in pairs. Each participant watched a video of the same crime, but it had been filmed from different points of view. So each participant could see elements that others could not. The participants then discussed what they had seen. They found that 71% of participants recalled aspects of the crime that they had not seen, but picked up from their discussion.

Question 3

AO3 - high in reliability due to standardised procedures

Answer 3

Many studies into misleading information are high in reliability. Many studies use laboratory experiments with standardized procedures, ensuring consistency and allowing for replication. For instance, in Loftus and Palmer’s study, all participants were shown the same video of a car crash, and they were all psychology students. The use of standardized procedures and participants enhances the study’s reliability, as results have been shown to be consistent across replications. Therefore, we can confidently conclude that misleading information does distort eyewitness testimony, based on reliable research evidence.

Question 4

AO3 - practical applications in legal system

Answer 4

Understanding the impact of misleading information has practical applications in the legal system. This is because it has led to improvements like the cognitive interview, which aims to reduce the risk of contamination of witness memories, so helps prevent wrongful convictions and promotes justice. Therefore, the research not only advances our understanding of the psychology of memory and perception but also has real-world implications for improving the legal system.

Question 5

AO3 - use of lab experiments

Answer 5

Many studies on misleading information use lab experiments, meaning they lack ecological validity and mundane realism. Watching a video clip of a crime is an artificial and less emotionally impactful experience than witnessing a real-life crime. Participants therefore may be less accurate in their judgements, and the findings of these studies may not generalise to real-life crime situations.